MY STRAWBERRY!
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Curiosity killed the cat, or so the saying goes. But did the saying ever include anything about the cat taking an unnatural obsessive interest in a certain shinigami hybrid? IchigoxHaineko, takes place in the zanpakto arc, and carries over to the manga.
1. Arigatou

He perplexed her. Ever since she'd first laid eyes on him, she'd never forgotten his face. He was strong. He was handsome. He was dark too, he had some stranger inner power that manifested itself as a mask, and it was really, really scary, even though he could only wear it for about eleven seconds.

Those eleven seconds had left her and Tobiume flat on the ground, humiliated, battered, beaten, but still, thankfully, in one piece. They had provoked him into donning the mask, and within three seconds, he'd taken out Tobiume. Two seconds later, and the flat of his blade had rapped _her_ on the head, and WHAM! Lights out kitten.

Yet Haineko was absolutely fascinated by it, not so much as his power, but this shinigami as a _person_. She'd never been this curious before. She'd left Rangiku 'Oba-san' as she liked to call her, primarily because she, though other zanpakutou likely thought otherwise, just really wasn't all that into girls, especially after they'd reached their expiration date. But this guy wasn't even half a century old! He was nowhere _near_ expired.

As Haineko pawed with the tip of her tail, she pondered how he might look with grey hair. A faint pink blush rose to her cheeks.

This guy, this Ichigo Kurosaki, Muramasa had expressed an interest in him as well. He'd gotten his zanpakuto back after just one try. If you were defeated by your wielder, it supposedly 'snapped you back to your senses' as Kazeshini had angrily put it. And now, presumably, the shinigami were coming here to rescue their captain commander.

Besides, this might be her only real chance to ditch Matsumoto and find herself a new wielder! But he had another zanpakutou, and that meant his soul would be cramped. She didn't like that. She really, really didn't like cramped spaces, she much rather preferred the wide open field that had been Matsumoto's soul.

Well, at least Oba-san had been good for one thing. This remained on her mind as she took off in pursuit of the shinigami with orange hair. She didn't particularly care that Tobiume was still back there getting her ass beat by the Shihoin lady, she was too busy trying to puruse the soul reaper who was about to outdistance her.

"Hey! Wait up!"

"Nani?" Ichigo blinked, glanced over his shoulder, then whirled around to slash at the cloud of ash that suddenly barred his path and kept him from moving forward. His blade met with resistance, and his eyes tightened in frustration. Blue light swelled along his blade.

"Getsuga-

"Wait wait!" Haineko pleaded, appearing before him with both arms splayed wide. "I just wanna talk!"

"I don't have _time_ to talk!" Ichigo hissed, jabbing Zangetsu forward angrily. Haineko, however, was no longer there, in fact, she was already behind him. Ichigo whirled to strike at her, but found that she'd already grabbbed his wrist with one hand, and wrapped her tail about the other. Now she had a free hand, which allowed her to bring her sword to his neck threateningly.

"Haha." She laughed childishly, gleefully exposing her fangs. "I can be serious when I want to be, shinigami. I said I wanna talk to you, and that means you're gonna listen. Got it."

"Fine." Ichigo growled. "What the hell do you want?"

"Just listen." It was odd to see the normally flirtatious feline fidget like this, but after a moment, she seemed to compose herself again. "I can't stand Matsumoto, I mean that old bag. All she does is go on and on about boring stuff that I don't like, and she never lets me do what I want! That's why I'm talking to you right now. This entire time, I've been looking for a new master. And you..."

She lightly poked him in the chest with her blade, leaving a thin trickle of blood to trickle out of the cut.

"Fit the bill."

"You...want me to be your wielder?" Ichigo stared at her for a few moments, both surprise and incredulous at the same time. "No way."

"You're kinda different." Haineko sidled closer up to him. "In a good way...I think. I wouldn't mind being your zanpakuto."

"I already have one." Ichigo countered, showing her Zangetsu. "Besides, shinigami only have one zanpakuto."

Haineko would have none of it.

"Nu-uh!" She insisted vehemently, releasing him to angrily stamp her foot and shove him away. "Any shinigami can have more than one zanpakuto! It just depends on the person! Besides, you need all the help you can get, right?" She was counting on his hatred of Aizen and the friggin Kyouka Suigetsu of his. So it was that Haineko purred softly as Ichigo abruptly reached out and scratched her. Her tail swayed happily back and forth as he got her favorite spot, just under the chin, but not quite at the nape of her neck.

"You'll have to be serious if you're coming with me and Zangetsu." Ichigo warned, pulling away from scratching her. "From what Rangiku-san's told me, you have certain traits, and most of them aren't very nice qualities." His chestnut brown eyes were hard, serious, cold even as he spoke. He hadn't once forgotten what he was here for, even now his reiatsu snarled and cracked about them a sure sign that he was anxious to get going and accomplish his mission. Focused, determined, Haineko liked those qualities in a man, even if she didn't exactly value them herself.

"I'm not lazy." She protested weakly, only to falter under his glare. "Alright alright! Maybe I am kinda lazy! Don't look at me like that! I'll be serious if you use me in a fight, promise!"

"Alright," Ichigo flexed his hand. "So how does this work. What exactly do you _do_, anyway?"

"I'll show you!"

Haineko beamed brightly and gave a silken purr as this time her entire form turned to ash, ash which then began to swirl around Ichigo, creating an ever dense cloud that all but hid him from view. She continued to dance around him, until he was finally forced to shield his face with an arm. Moments later, she drifted away.

"Ta-da!" Popping back into her manifested form, Haineko bounded up to Ichigo. "Take a look behind you, shinigami!"

Ichigo followed her gaze, the blinked increduously at the ravaged wall behind him. It looked like some wild animal had tore huge chunks out of it with its claws. He blinked in surprise again. Now, Haineko made a few gestures with his hands, and unlike Matsumoto, who always jerked her around in order to make her move, the zanpakuto's fingertips brushed across the ash and moved her with controlled, precise movements.

"This ash, is my power. Haineko, like my name. Ash cat."

"Kinda reminds me of Senbonzakura." Ichigo commented matter of factly. "Cept yours is a lot smaller."

"EEEEEH?!" Haineo shrieked in disbelief, "What the hell makes you think I'm anything like _him?!_ My _bankai_ is a helluva lot better than that pansy ass flower boy's excuse for a release! And before you ask, no I don't use those fucking cherry blossoms either, you got that?!"

"Bankai?" Ichigo frowned, having stopped listening once she mentioned the infamous second release. "When did Rangiku-san achieve-

"SHE DIDN'T!" Haineko snapped venemously. "THAT OLD OBA-SAN WILL NEVER _EVER_ USE MY BANKAI!"

"Okaaaaay." Ichigo shrugged, not really understanding it. "Whatever, if you're gonna become my zanpakutou, then how-

Haineko suddenly stepped up, clasped Ichigo by the wrist and forearm, and yanked him forward, forcing the vizard to stumble a step. As she did so, her other arm gripped the hilt of her sword, and violently reached around, impaling them both upon the blade eliciting a sharp gasp as it stabbed through his chest, then into hers. For a moment, confusion dawned in those brown orbs, hen understanding.

"Like this." She smirked, as whitish blue light engulfed them both.

--

_(Meanwhile)_

Muramasa frowned as a massive explosion shook the earth beneath Yamamoto's barrier. Haineko's reaitsu had just vanished, and now, Kurosaki Ichigo's had practically tripled in strength. He could even feel it roaring towards him at a breakneck pace

"What? What the devil just happened?"

**_Next time: The kitten becomes a tiger._**


	2. The Kitten Becomes a Tiger

**Warning, this chapter is short, mainly because I'm writing this damn thing at two in the morning, with the flu, and therefore, it is intended as a warm up chapter to the epic fight/beatdown that will occur next chapter, when I'm NOT puking my guts outs. So enjoy this teaser, review, and wait for baited breath for chapter three. Please????**

**Enjoy!**

**The Kitten Becomes a Tiger**

Amber brown eyes opened, and found herself in a wide open space. There was blue sky, skyscrapers, and it seemed to go on forever. Then, much to her delight, she saw trees, yes trees, giant oaks poking out here and there between the buildings, their many branches hidden within the thick foliage of leaves, their shadow blotting out the light around her.

A wide grin parted Haineko's lips.

"Ooh, it's nice and roomy here."

"So, Ichigo finally decided to grow some greenery."

Haineko whirled around, to find a man wearing a black cloak, striding towards her.

Slightly spooked, she took a small step back, baring her teeth with a warning hiss. But the man only continued until he was about two feet away from her. When he spoke again, his voice was low and rich, almost soothing. "I am not here to harm you."

_"Speak for yourself!" _Haineko gave a small shriek of surprise when another man dropped down in front of her, nearly crushing her before she leapt back and out of the way. As he raised his visage, she gasped. There wasn't a single splash of color to be found anywhere on him, other than his black sclera and yellow irises.

And he looked _exactly_ like Ichigo.

"W-Who the hell are you?

Incredulous, the doppleganger spoke again.

_"Oi, who the hell're do you think_ you _are anyways? Coming in here, messing up the landscape, growing these ugly trees,"_ Abruptly, the frown turned into a scowl, as he seemed to realize she didn't belong here."_ And come to think of it...what the hell are you doing here?"_

"This is Haineko." Zangetsu answered for her. "Apparently, she has become Ichigo's zanpakuto, much like you and I."

_"Eh?!"_ The pale Ichigo all but snarled. _"Haven't you ever heard of the saying 'two's company three's a crowd?!'_ _There's no fuckin' way I'm gonna let some weak ass zanpakuto stay here, Zangetsu!"_

"That is not your decision to make."

_"Not mine?! Bullshit! I'm just as much a part of him as you are! If I say she leaves, she's gone, ya hear me?!"_

"And if I were to say that she stays, then she stays." Zangetsu countered.

Haineko tilted her head to the left.

""Erm....you guys are wierd."

"You need to understand," Zangetsu began, redirecting his gaze to a slightly frazled Haineko. "That you are an additional seperate power source for Ichigo as well. Now, not only will he draw on my powers as well as _his_, but yours as well. Because of this, he will become exponentially more powerful, do you understand?"

"Umm....yeah?"

_Oi! Haineko!_

She gave a small, exasperated sigh.

"Alright alright, I'm coming, strawberry!"

--

As Ichigo roared forward, he left Kazeshini's broken form behind him. Seconds later, her burst through the thin opening the ceiling, or rather, what was now the floor, as he landed. Yamamoto was there, surrounded by a pyramid shaped barrier. He hadn't so much as paused to take in the katana strapped to his lower back, instead, he'd just surged forward.

And now...

He was met by Muramasa seconds later.

"I thought you'd try something like this."

_"Oi! Ichigo!"_

"It's about time."

_"Tell you what. I'll let you use my bankai for now, but there's a condition!"_

"Eh?"

_"When we get back to the real world, I want you to take me shopping!"_

"EH?! Didn't I tell you to be serious?! I don't have time for that!"

_"I am being serious! Either you taking me shopping after all this, or no bankai! So bleh!"_

"Grr...fine!"

_"Yay." _She grinned, and Ichigo hissed in surprise as another source of power began to flow through him.

"You cannot defeat me with just that, Kurosaki Ichigo." Muramasa of course, remained ignorant to what was occuring.

"Oh really?" Ichigo smirked as he came out of their discussion, and swept aside part of his cloak, thusly revealing Haineko in all her glory. Muramasa's smug grin abruptly vanished as the vizard reached down to clasp her hilt, drew, then held her before his face in a horizontal pattern similair to what would be expected when her shikai was released. "Take a good look at this, _then_ tell me if I'm wrong."

"Impossible!"

"Bankai." Ichigo hissed, his pupils becoming slitted, just before he vanished in a cloud of ash. Muramasa followed it with his eyes, frown deepening as the pillar of smoke smashed through the ceiling to creatr several shafts of light. Moments later, a chilling gust of wind swept the light away, revealing him.

_"Susamajii Hageshi, Haineko._ (Furious Fierce Ash Cat)

Streamlined, red, tiger-like armor, tiger-like in the fact that every aspect of it was striped black, decorated his shoulders, chest, and even went from the feet to his knees. At the shoulders, the armor sported two triangular vents, both of which were steadily filling the cave with ash. Similarly, Ichgio wore a helmet eerily similair to that of a sabertooth tiger, completed with a metal mouthplate covering his mouth and the fingers of the armor at his hands had become claw like, in the fact that they slowly extended from his hands to wrap around Tensa Zangetsu.

Lastly, a red tiger tail, extending from the back, swayed behind him, completing the transformation.

Ichigo flexed his hands, and long claws grew from them as the vizard brandished his dual bankai. As his eyes popped oepn, Muramasa frowned, recognizing the sign of hollowfication, for they were a fierce golden black.

From behind the mouth-piece, Ichigo's voice boomed.

_"You're finished, Muramasa!"_

**_Next time: Crouching Tiger._**

--

**Omake**

**Muramasa: Hmm....how odd.**

**Haineko: What? Quit staring!**

**Muramasa: My apologies. It's just that....**

**Ichigo: Eh?**

**Muramasa: Again, I apologize. You see...I was under the impression that a shinigami had to _dominate_ their zanpakutou and make it submit to them, in order to achieve Bankai. I wonder how you were able to dominate her so quickly, Kurosaki Ichigo? It must've been rather brief for the both of you.**

**Haineko/Ichigo: NANI?!**

**Ichigo: W-Whatever the hell y-you're getting at, we can't mention something like that here! Children might be reading this!**

**Haineko: Y-Yeah! So shut the hell up, you frickin' ecchi!**

**Muramasa: I knew it. Well, if the two of you are too squeamish to explain the concept to our viewers, then I will be most happy to enlighten them. You see everyone, in cases like this a shinigami must-**

**Haineko/Ichigo: URU-SAI!**

**Zangetsu: Imbeciles.**


	3. Crouching Tiger

**Alright, I'm feeling better (Somewhat) So I'll try to pump this chapter out while I'm not puking. The smackdown that has been promised will now be delivered in earnest, but things aren't going to be wrapped up just yet....**

**Crouching Tiger**

As the ash continued to fill the room, Kurosaki Ichigo's snarling voice boomed from behind the plate:

_"You're done, Muramsa!"_

The rebellious zanpaktou stared at the dual release for a moment longer, before finally composing himself. "I see. You've completely absorbed the powers of Rangiku Matsumoto's sword. So that's how you've achieved an additional bankai. Interesting. But now you've deprived her of her own zanpakutou. Surely you must feel grief for that. "

Ichigo didn't answer, instead, he made a series of rapid gestures with his hands, ending with his left palm placed upon the ground, and the other against the nearby wall. Imagine Muramasa's surprise when the entire left wall turned to ash, creating a massive wave that came crashing down into him, smothering him from all angles.

The entire underground labryinth, as well as its massive network of tunnels shook from the attack. When the smoke and dust finally settled, Muramasa was nowhere to be seen, as was a good chunk of the floor and wall, further exposing the demolished cavern to the bright blue sky.

_"Well, so much for you."_Ichigo scoffed, turning back towards the barrier. _"Now, to get gramps-_

"I can see you are being serious, Kurosaki Ichigo," A familiar deep voice rang out. "But I regret to inform you that I am still very much alive." And with that said, Muramasa appeared, literally out of nowhere. He took his hands out of his pockets, revealing the scarily long fingernails, and began brushing flecks of ash off of his jacket.

"And as I said before, it will take much more than that to do me in."

If the vizard was frustrated by Muramasa's persistence, he did very little to show it. Instead, he calmly turned to face the zanpakutou again, his armor creating a faint rustling sound as he moved.

_"Is that so?" _His voice echoed from behind the silvery saber-tooth helm, sounding as feral and deadly as he looked._"Well, if we can't smother you, then I guess we'll have to a little more inventive,won't we, Haineko?"_

Suddenly, the vents spewed forth more ash, clouding up the cave once more. But this time, the ash did not simply travel upward, instead, it filled the cave, surrounding and engulfing the two combatants.

Muramasa shifted his gaze to the right as two dark blurs rocketed out of the smokescreen. As they flew, each took on the shape of two different creatures, one a certain feline that was well known for both is speed and stealth, the other, rather infamous for its stripes and orange coat.

Scowling, Muramasa swiped at the tiger with his sword, splitting the smoke like apparition in two. The two severed halves flew past him, then reformed back into the beast, which lashed out with both paws, only to vanish again as its comrade came up behind it.

"Shit!" Realizing too late that he'd forgotten about the other cat, Muramasa backpedalled away from where he expected Ichigo to attack. Too late, the panther was there waiting, and its fangs sank deep into his right shoulder before he could dislodge it with a sharp slashing motion.

The bite didn't so much as leave a bad wound, it just felt as if the insides of his shoulder had been shredded with sandpaper. Grimacing in pain, Muramasa forced himself to his feet, gasping in pain as his right arm now hung uselessly at his side. Having found its target, the creature of ash withdrew, bounding back to the fog of ash where it dissolved.

Just as the hand seized Muramasa's shoulder.

_"Getsuga Tenshou."_

With such limited visibility, Muramasa didn't have time to react – the attack came from too short a distance. The red black crescent slammed against his chest and sent him spiraling backwards into the eastern wall of the cavern. His vision was dizzying slightly as he stopped moving and the heat of the _getsuga _dissipated from his body, but he was able to see the light blue sky above him as he struggled to get up... only to be seized by another coughing fit.

_'No!' _He swore, as the blood began to leak from his eyes, pooling down his face in a weak facade of tears._ 'Not now! Not when I'm so close!'_

"Too bad, Muramasa." Ichigo was suddenly directly above Muramasa, his left arm outstretched and Tensa Zangetsu pointed directly at his throat. Muramasa couldn't even find the time to breathe, let alone gasp aloud. "Looks like you're done."

"Curse....you."

_"Hashire."_

Confusion filled Ichigo as ice covered his feet, that same ice rendering him motionless as it crept up to his knees. Glancing over his shoulder, he beheld a tall, slender woman in a deep blue kimono, having been the one to rescue Muramasa from an impending doom.

_"Shuukyoku."_

To Ichigo's dismay, several darp spikes now lunged out from the darkness, threatening to strike his lower back, where the armor was at its weakest. Hissing in surprise, the vizard hacked away the ice that bound him, before vanishing into a cloud of ash once again. As he reformed from the smokescreen, he found that his path was now barred by yet _another _zanpakutou.

"Muramasa-sama."

Another figure, this one a petite woman with black hair, cropped up into a ponytail, appeared. Like her companion, she too wore a kimono, though hers was a deep, dark black, and sported numerous rips and tears, as if the sleeves and leggings had been violently torn away at the knees and elbows.

"Please, allow us to handle him."

"Eh?" Ichigo tapped Tensa Zangetsu over his shoulder impatiently, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "Who in the hell're you?"

The first made a small clicking sound with her tongue, and brandished her blade. "I, am Itegumo. And I will exact my vengeance upon you for humiliating me at Sokyoku hill."

"And I, am Kagehime." The second gave Ichigo a courteous bow and pushed up the spectacles she wore. "The zanpakutou of Nanao Ise. It truly is a pleasure to finally meet you Ichigo Kurosaki-san. Now I will kill you."

No sooner had she said this, than she brandished a thin, sickle like weapon. Ichigo eyed it warily for a moment, before edging to the right, just as she shot through where he had been five seconds before.

Itegumo ran up behind him, her peculiar blade stabbing out as his neck. Ichigo whirled, a snarl ripping past his mask, his blade whipping around as he once again disappeared into ash, leaving Itegumo to harmlessly run him through, whilst Tensa Zangetsu stunned her with a sharp rap across the head.

_"Pathetic!"_

Itegumo shrieked in raw agony as Ichigo and the wave of ash he had become, swept over her body and devoured her whole. It felt as if she were being torn apart from every conceivable angle, but the pain didn't last long, as a sharp cracking sound filled her ears, and then that was it, all consciousness left her. Moving on, Ichigo left Itegumo's broken blade form behind without so much as sparing it a second glance.

Kagehime met a similar, but much more painful fate, as Ichigo materialized to her left, circled around her with a quick flash of shunpo, then buried Zangetsu to its hilt in her chest, leaving several inches of blackened steel to protrude from her sternum. Without so much as blinking, the vizard violently yanked his blade free, cleaned it of blood with one swipe, and once more pointed its ebony tip towards Muramasa.

And within ten seconds, it was over.

_"Tsugi (Next)."_He snapped, turning back towards Muramasa for the third time. A moment of silence passed between the two, accompanied by a slight tremor, most likely from Kenpachi's encounter with an enemy, before Muramasa at last cleared his throat.

"I see you felt no hesitation in destroying the zanpakutou of your comrades."

_"Of course I did."_Ichigo answered quietly, holding out his free hand, into which a blade, similar to Haineko's sealed state, but made entirely of ash and without an semblance of a hilt, began to materialize. _"But I can't let my hesitation constantly get in the way."_

"Oh?"

_"If I keep hesitating, my friends will die." _Ichigo continued, repeating the words slowly and rhythmically, as if they were a mantra._"If I keep hesitating, then I won't be able to win. If I keep hesitating-_

Realizing what was about to happen, Muramasa lunged into the air, but alas all his efforts were in vain. Before he could ascend more than a dozen paces, Kurosaki's reaitsu immobilized him.

_"IF I HESITATE, THEN I WON'T BE ABLE TO SAVE ANYONE!"_Ichigo roared, slashing forward with his newly created weapon. In mid-swing, the ashen blade vanished, and turned entirely into a massive twister, the likes of which were now focused solely on Muramasa.

A massive cyclone of ash spun its way up towards Muramasa, the black gale tearing the opposing wall of rock in half. His eyes widened in fear as the tornado ripped its way through the air and slammed into his lithe form. Futiley, he brought his arms up over his face as the dark winds ripped and sliced at his form. His fur collar and jacket were all but shredded while he was being pushed back. Blood began spilling from the numerous gashes that the razor sharp winds had placed along his body, the sanguine liquid staining the pale skin of his bare upper torso a terrible splotchy crimson.

The tempest suddenly vanished, leaving Muramasa breathing heavily and bleeding as he attempted to recover from the attack. He looked down at Ichigo; the shinigami was staring up at him smugly, entirely unperturbed by the zanpakutou's attempts to rile him.

_"Give it up already." _Ichigo couldn't have appeared more bored than he already was, judging by the way he feigned a yawn. _"I'm really starting to get tired of kicking your ass around."_

"NO! I will not die!" Muramasa roared suddenly, his very voice shaking the cavern as his body took on a deep violet glow, basking in the aura of his reaitsu. "Power such as yours is not enough to defeat me!"

Ichigo shook his head in disbelief.

_"Look at yourself! One more of those and you're dead!"_

"No! Never!" Muramasa shook his head vehemently, his words taking on an almost desperate tinge, rising with each and every syllable. "An attack like that will _never_do me in, Kurosaki Ichigo! If you plan on killing me, then at least hit me your ultimate Getsuga Tenshou!"

_"Um....I have a bad feeling about this." _Haineko couldn't quite explain it, but her gut instinct was that if Ichigo used his Getsuga Tenshou right now, then something, very VERY bad was going to happen. _"Maybe we should just use my Kuroi Tenran(Black Orchid Sky) again-_

....No." Ichigo snarled forcefully, black light swelling alongside his blade. _" If he want's to see my best attack, then I'm gonna damn well give it to him. Getsuga...._

_"Oi! Something bad's gonna happen!" _Haineko had the distinct feeling that Ichigo _still_ wasn't going to listen to her, but still, she felt duty bound to at least try and talk him down from this questionable course of action._ "C'mon, don't! I've gotta really bad feeling about this! Hey, are you even-"_

_"TENSHOU!_

**_Next time: The Tiger has claws, but The Dragon has fire. Haineko vs Ryuujin Jakka?! _**

--

**Omake**

**Toshirou:...**

**Ichigo: Eh? Something, wrong, Toshirou? What's with the look?**

**Toshirou: Kurosaki, when did your bankai change? You look almost like...a cat.**

**Haineko: Well duh! He's using my bankai!**

**Hichigo: Hehehe, hey she's right king! You really _do_ look like a pussy!**

**Toshirou: Wha?**

**Haineko: Eh?**

**Ichigo: Urusai! We didn't mean it like that! OI! Stop laughing! I said URUSAI!**


End file.
